Temple City

The City Council on Tuesday unanimously denied an appeal by the Mustard Seed Lin Leung Church for a 295-seat church building behind businesses on the south side of Las Tunas Drive between Sultana and Loma avenues. The church asked for a variance from the city requirement of 135 parking spaces, proposing 59 instead. Church members said the facility would provide services to the city's increasing Asian population but would have large groups only on Sundays.

The City Council gave final approval last week to spending up to $77,850 to hire Urban Design Studio of Newport Beach to prepare a downtown revitalization plan. Community Development Director Robert Dawson said the firm has done work for such cities as San Bernardino, Huntington Beach, Pasadena and West Covina. The study process will include three community workshops and three public hearings.

First Lutheran Church and School can install a temporary trailer while it expands its school building, the City Council decided Tuesday. A neighbor, Richard Busch, had appealed the Planning Commission decision allowing the trailer at the church at 9123 Broadway. He argued that it would block his view, breeze and sunlight, and would bring noisy children closer to his house. But Councilman Patrick Froehle said breeze, view and sunlight are not property rights. Councilwoman Mary L.

Santa Anita Village School won approval from the City Council Tuesday to increase the school's size and enrollment. The preschool and day-care center at 5313 Santa Anita Ave. was given permission to build an additional 971 square feet of classroom space, extend its operating time by two hours daily and increase enrollment from 24 to 40, a smaller increase than the 48 requested by the school.

The City Council has backed away from an earlier plan to require that all new homes be equipped with automatic sprinkler systems to combat fires. Instead, the council decided Tuesday to require sprinklers only for multiunit residential structures and their garages. Councilman Patrick Froehle said the plan to include all new dwellings may have been a "little overzealous."

In its continuing effort to revitalize the downtown business area, the City Council voted Tuesday to spend about $80,000 to hire a consultant to prepare a specific plan. The plan will contain the zoning regulations necessary to implement the revitalization recommendations made last month by the Ad Hoc Committee for Design and Development Standards in Commercial Zones.

The City Council has reversed its decision to limit city commissioners to four consecutive two-year terms. The council Tuesday rescinded the limits, imposed earlier this month, after members could not agree on how to implement them. At issue was when the clock should start running for commissioners now serving. After two motions on the subject died for lack of seconds, Councilman Patrick Froehle moved to repeal the limits altogether.

The City Council decided Tuesday to look into a requirement that all new residences be equipped with automatic fire sprinklers. The council told the city staff to draft an ordinance for single-family homes and multi-unit residential buildings. The action came at the urging of Assistant Fire Chief Harold McCann after the council reviewed a report from Community Development Director Robert Dawson. Dawson said the cost of the proposed regulation to developers would be an additional $1 to $1.

The City Council voted 5 to 0 to approve an ordinance that will reduce from 12 to 10 the number of dwelling units permitted per acre in medium density zones. The measure, which will take effect when a comprehensive General Plan revision is adopted, possibly in September, requires 4,350 square feet of lot area for each housing unit. Current standards require 3,600 square feet.